Naruto: SasukexReader, Infinity of Light
by compactdisc66
Summary: Another fanfic. Continuing.
1. Chapter 1

"SASUKEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Naruto's shout echoed from far away at the edge of the forest. I leaned back comfortably against the bark and sighed, wondering what Naruto could want this time. He was always on Sasuke's case, pestering him and trying to beat him up over the smallest things. Trying to prove himself to the maturer opponent. I thought of how this could all be settled. Instead of avoiding Naruto every time, Sasuke could confront him and beat him up, so Naruto would leave him alone.

Then again, Naruto might try even harder to prove he was better than Sasuke.

As I closed my eyes to relax in the scattered sunlight, I suddenly heard a soft but definitive noise coming from the other side of the tree trunk. Grabbing my kunai, I began to turn around slowly to see if it was an attacker or a squirrel.

Before I could even see the other side, a thin, quick figure darted around and covered my mouth. I squirmed and punched up in the general direction of his face, and heard a familiar groan of pain.

I turned to look up and gasped, my mouth now free. "Sasuke! I'm really sorry!" I whispered frantically as he cautiously gripped his bleeding nose. "I didn't know it was you! And you shouldn't have sneaked up on me!" His black hair hung in his face as he dropped his head low, crouching into himself. "Hey, you're supposed to tilt your head back when your nose is bleeding," I said, poking his arm gently. He leaned his head back against the tree, sitting next to me.

"I'm trying to get peace, away from Naruto," he said with his clogged nose. "You're always calm and peaceful, and never very stressed out, so when I saw you sitting here I thought I'd join you."

I blushed at the small compliment. It wasn't anything special, but it was the best I was ever going to get from Sasuke. "Well thanks, I'm sorry I ruined your calm, peaceful afternoon," I said, fiddling with my kunai.

He shook his head. "Not ruined. It was just made a little more exciting."

I giggled. "Sasuke, I punched you in the nose. This is your idea of exciting?"

That was the first time I'd ever seen him smile. It was a beautiful, mesmerizing smile that I couldn't turn away from. The entire forest seem to light up with his face, and his dark, piercing eyes suddenly became definitive from behind his black hair. All his features were outlined in a ring of happiness and serenity that I had never seen before, on him or anyone else.

But Sasuke's moment of happiness was rudely interrupted by a shout from below. I looked down from my spot in the tall, shady willow tree to see Naruto shoot into the clearing, panting loudly so that the sound reverberated off the surrounding trees. He glanced around furiously and sniffed the air, his blue eyes searching the trees wildly. "SASUKE, GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE SO I CAN KICK IT!" he yelled.

Sasuke held a thin finger to his lips, glancing at me from the side, his head still tilted back against the tree. I nodded.

After a few tense minutes, Naruto dashed off to another clearing, until the echoes were no more than whispers in the slight breeze. Sasuke and I spent the rest of the day in the tree, our hands grazing occasionally, causing me to blush away and him to look at me with curiosity and then annoyance.

When the sun finally lay it's head upon the horizon, Sasuke spoke. I thought he'd been asleep. "This was highly enjoyed," he said. "Let's plan to do this again sometime." But he made no move to rise.

I wrapped my arms around my legs and buried my face into them to hide my blush. "Yes, let's do it again." The sun sank slowly lower, lighting up the sky with brilliant hues of magenta, orange, and fiery red. It looked so much like a painting, a magnificent beauty captured in time. I felt like I was part of the painting, the second lasting hours or days or years. I decided to paint this scene later when I returned home.

"Soon."

I turned to Sasuke, my infinity of light interrupted by his single word. Sasuke was much like the sunset. His face was written upon with intelligence, hardships, ferocity, and the new serenity. Smiling shyly, I nodded. "Tomorrow. While I paint."


	2. Chapter 2

I splotted the yellow around some more, blending it into the dull pink upon the white hole of the canvas. The sunset painting was turning out quite brilliantly, all the colours almost exactly matching the ones on the skyline yesterday. I was running out of paint. I'd have to buy some in the village soon.

"Hello?"

Sasuke's voice called out from the other room. "Please come in!" I called back, setting my brush down and wiping my hands on my old T-shirt. As Sasuke entered the room, I stood and ran to get drinks and a snack from the small kitchen. When I entered the minuscule living room, I found him staring at the unfinished painting with a hard, grim stare. I blushed, speaking quickly, "It's not done yet, but it's the sunset from yesterday in the tree. I know it's not very good-"

"I think it's perfect," he said in a low, thoughtful voice. "It's perfect."

Blushing, I sat next to him and handed him a drink. "Thank you. Um..." I glanced nervously at him. "What did you want to do?"

He lay back on the floor beside the chair supporting my canvas. "I want to watch you paint," he said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I want to absorb your relaxation, shall we say."

I blushed some more, scooting behind the canvas. "If you say so. But if you want to do anything else, let me know."

He nodded, and I began to paint again. Bringing the image of the sunset back to mind, I chose the wildest colours to decorate the white with. The darkest green for the shadowy forest, the brightest for the sunlit leaves, a near-black brown for the twisted bark lined with dark rivets. The small room slowly disappeared, being filled with the image in my mind, surrounding me with the sounds it held. The sky was a river of golden red, flowing onto the trees and dominating the world for those few seconds. The painting was holding hostage those seconds, so that they could be remembered in detail or shared with those unfortunate enough not to have witnessed the strength and power of the moment.

Only when I finished an hour later did I realize that Sasuke had been kneeling over my shoulder to examine my work, his chin almost touching my neck. I blushed and set my brush down as he murmured into my ear, "It's perfect."

I stood and walked to the kitchen to rinse my brushes and keep Sasuke from seeing my blush. "If you like it that much, you can have it," I said loudly for him to hear through the walls. But I turned from the sink and bumped into his chest, as he had crept up behind me silently. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear-"

"Do you really mean I can keep it?" he asked, staring with emotionless black eyes into what was probably the core of my soul. I nodded nervously, competing in the staring contest with the floor.

I suddenly felt his lips on my forehead, kissing me softly. "Thank you," he whispered. "Will you paint more for me?"

Imagining the uncontrollable red on my cheeks, I nodded at the floor. "Anything you want." I blabbered on, trying to fill the silence. "I need to get more paint though, so it might take a while to paint the next one-"

And so it was that we had started what I nicknamed in my mind "The Painting Session", which can be defined either as The Daily Painting Class (during which I taught Sasuke how to paint) or The Hours of Awkward and yet Comfortable Silence (during which I would paint and he would stare).


	3. Chapter 3

"Watch where you're going, little girl!"

I winced and moaned. From my position on the dirt road I could only see the approaching thunderstorm from above the forest just beyond the village. For some reason, all that my mind would think about was the storm. It resembled waves of darkness, rolling over the forest to dip into the bottom of the hill. Like a bull, lowering it's head to rear it up under it's attacker.

The man kicked my back roughly, his friend laughing in front of me. I groaned and pushed myself up onto my knees, glancing up at him with the most annoyed look I could muster. Today was going to be beautiful and I was going to enjoy it and these two idiots were NOT going to make me ruin it by trying (unsuccessfully) to beat them up.

The sun's glare shone into my eyes as I stood to face the man who had kicked me. The other man was behind me, and with the wall of the bread store to my right, there was no escape. The two men were both well built, heavy set and broad shouldered. Their black hair was crew cut and their eyes were thin and narrow. "Watch who you're bumping into, stupid!" the man in front of me said. There were no other people around to help or get help. I brushed my clothes off and sighed heavily. The rain pattered lightly, building up as the seconds passed. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to get lost in it, hearing those waves of darkness rumbling overhead.

The man pushed my shoulder. "Hey, you ignoring us?" he growled.

The push shoved me into the man behind me, who grabbed my wrists none too gently. "Maybe the little girl wants to-"

But I'll never know what I maybe wanted to do, because at that moment my wrists were released and the man disappeared from behind me. There was a loud crash, and I turned to see him sprawled out on his back, his nose profusely bleeding. Sasuke was standing over him with his kunai at his chest. His head was turned away from me, but I could imagine the cool look on his face as he whispered something inaudible to the man. Then he rose and turned to me, staring with blank eyes at the man who had kicked me. I heard him running away and was disgusted that he would leave his comrade bleeding in the mud and rain. But the man soon crawled behind the bakery, leaving Sasuke's gaze to fall upon me.

I walked over to him, blushing. "Thank you," I mumbled. What a dope I must seem.

He only stared. I watched a single raindrop trickle slowly from his forehead, in the circle of his eye, and then drip off his poignant nose. His mouth curved ever so slightly into a smile as he said softly, "Why didn't you hit them like you did me the other day?"

I smiled wryly, remembering the moment. "Because I was too busy enjoying the beginning of the rain." Only after I'd said it did I realize how silly that sounded. I blushed and turned from him. "Thank you again. I have to get some more art supplies."

But before I began walking, I felt his arm around my shoulder and pulling me into him. I looked up at his pale face, but it was staring ahead. I blushed and stared at the ground as he whispered, "I'll accompany you there and to your house."

The rest of the rainy afternoon started out with him carrying my art supplies back home for me, us watching the rain from my low porch, with him watching me paint the angled memory of the rain, and ended with me sleeping on my couch and Sasuke on the floor below me. It was one of the happiest days of my life.


	4. Chapter 4

Something about it just made my heart skip a beat when I first laid eyes on him.

The little brown bear cub had just been sitting there on my porch, wailing in what sounded like a sad, fearful call for his mother. But neither the bear cub nor I heard any reply from my dead side of the village. He looked so alone there, shivering and crying in the clouded natural light dimly beaming down on the grey of the peeling houses surrounding him.

Finally deciding that he was put on my porch for a reason other than to bite me to pieces, I stepped out from my hiding spot in the thin alleyway between two houses across from mine. Immediately the cub raised his head to meet my gaze. I froze, afraid to move should he start galloping towards me. When he remained in his spot, I slowly walked to him, holding my hand out before me.

The cub tilted his head to one side as I approached, finally close enough for him to eat my hand off. But I kept still. I could hear my brain screaming at my body, "WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING YOUNG LADY THIS THING IS CAPABLE OF TOTALLY DEMOLISHING YOUR HAND YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO WRITE OR PAINT AGAIN AND THERE IS NO POINT IN GIVING UP YOUR HAND AS A SACRIFICE TO A WILD BEAR CUB-"

But my body was either not listening or had too many things being thrown at it. The bear cub reached out and sniffed my hand cautiously, before stepping down the three steps and walking towards my legs. I froze in terror and curiosity. He didn't have the look of a killer on his face.

Indeed, he didn't devour me, but instead rubbed around my legs in a loving manner. I reached down to pet his head, to find that the fur was still quite soft and not yet matted and thick as it would be after a few years of living in the wild.

Before I knew it, the cub was in my home guzzling milk out of the bowl I had laid down for him. I admired his fluffy fur enveloping his body, those dark eyes and snout, the tiny claws on each paw. A masterpiece of nature.

But how the heck did he get on my porch?!

A knock startled me out of my thoughts and the cub from his drinking. I pet his head reassuringly before running to answer the door. Behind it stood the usual grim-faced Sasuke. His thin but muscular frame blocked the light from entering my narrow doorway, and his presence reminded me that I was still in my pajama bottoms. I blushed as I greeted him, hoping those deep grey/black eyes wouldn't notice. Maybe he wants another painting session, I thought. And then chills of nervousness ran up and down my spine. He can't see the bear cub!

"Good afternoon, Sasuke..." I managed out. "Did you need something?"

As he nodded his eyes traveled behind me into my house. "I wanted to let you know that the gift you received earlier was from me. I hope you like and accept it."

...I got a bear cub as a gift?

I let him walk past me inside and shut the door. It was nice of him to think of me, but how am I supposed to care for a wild animal?

As if hearing my thoughts, he turned to face me as he said, "The bear cub can be trained to be your 'familiar' if you will. He is loyal, trustworthy, and will eventually be a strong companion to help fight in battle with you. You can even direct your chakra through him so that he grows in strength. I was hoping we could care for it together until that time."

His face was unreadable as always, but I thought for a second I saw in his eyes a shimmer of hopeful happiness. The pale skin reflected all light that fell upon him, causing the room to glow. I turned to the bear behind him, still lapping at the milk. A large puddle had formed on the floor. I realized I was going to need help with him... So I nodded, smiling back at Sasuke. "Thank you for offering to help. It is much appreciated."

He nodded, looking out the window to the pebbly street. "Good. I have purchased the house down the street for travel purposes, so we don't have to go back and forth across the village to help with the bear. I'll be moving in this week."

Wow. He really must care about this bear if he's even moving house for it. I admired his compassion and consideration. "Thank you for helping me so much... What is his name?"

"That is for you to decide," he said, staring unblinkingly into my eyes.

I stared at the floor hard, hurrying to think of a name to prevent him from waiting any longer at my house. "Umm... Does Gyunyu sound alright? I think the name fits him accordingly, seeing his love of milk." I giggled at the cub licking the milk up off the floor.

Sasuke still stared at me unceasingly. Did I choose a bad name?

"It does fit him perfectly. Gyunyu it is."


	5. Chapter 5

"Gyunyu! Don't eat those!"

Oh. My. GOODNESS is this bear difficult to take care of. One minute he's quiet and sleepy and cute and adorable and the next minute he's running into bushes and hiding in corners and still being cute and adorable at the same time. But he's so ACTIVE.

And now he's racing ahead of me into the woods, trying to climb his first tree. How am I going to get him out of a tree? I don't want to climb a tree right now... urggggg...

"Gyunyu! Gyunyu get away from that tree-"

Too late. Up he goes. All I can do is stand there and watch him with dread, staring into the tree and wincing at the height. "Wow... look at you go... Guess I have to go up there and get you, you little..."

Ugh. I stepped closer to the tree and tossed down my sack, preparing my fingers for the torture I was about to put them through. I leaped as high as I could and grabbed the lowest branch, groaning as I hoisted myself up. Glancing upward into the sunlight, I glimpsed Gyunyu looking back at me, almost like he were amused. That bear. "Gyunyu-" I panted, throwing myself at another higher branch, "...we have to get Sasuke those good berries and mushrooms that are down by the stream and NOT up a tree. Do you hear me? DOWN and not UP."

The cub suddenly stopped his journey, staring out into the distance. Wondering what could have caught his attention, I lifted myself a little higher to see over the other trees. And then I saw what could only be perfectly described as pure beauty.

The sun had just come up over the horizon, it's blinding yellow light nearly completely clouded behind miles and miles of fog. Mist hung in the air, even at this height, and EVERYTHING between me and the sun was completely grey. As far as I could see trees stretched and rolled out before me, like a deep green carpet. Behind me of course there was the village. But right now I was drowning in green. I'd have to paint this too. Maybe from behind me, so that the painting included me and Gyunyu in a tree...

Shuffling from above snapped me back to attention. Gyunyu had settled into a nook on one of the branches. Time to focus. I was almost there. "Ok... ok buddy..." I lifted myself higher. Almost there... He was inches, within reach. I held out my arms as far as gravity would allow without having me tip over the edge, balancing on the closest branch beneath the bear. "Just- come here-"

Tip.

"AAAAAHHHH!"

We had been so high up that it took us at least ten seconds to get to the ground. All I could see was brown fur, grey sky, and green whipping by us. I tugged Gyunyu closer, curling in a ball. My brain was surprisingly calm as we sped toward the earth at eighty miles an hour. Just slow your breathing, close your eyes, everything will be fine... And I believed it.

But before we reached the ground and splatted into a large bloody mess, something rushed out and caught us, throwing us to one side. I felt it hit my ribs and hug me around the bear. Gyunyu, previously quiet, erupted in short shrieks as we made our bumpy landing.

My brain clicked. We're alive! I'm alive, Gyunyu's alright... We're safe!

Suddenly bark, pain, a shout, and then blackness.

When I next opened my eyes, I was staring at a pale, newly-painted ceiling upon which light streaked out almost purposefully. Turning my head, I saw the rest of the room bare excepting the bed on which I lay, a small irori fireplace in the center of the floor, and a chair surrounded by moving boxes. The chair was occupied by Sasuke, his foot tapping impatiently and his knuckles white.

Then I remembered. The tree. We were doing so well after that fall and then a tree had to get in our way.

Sasuke rose and hurried to the side of the bed with fervent motions although his face was still empty of emotion. "How are you feeling?" he asked solemnly.

My mind was numb as well as my body. "I'm not," I replied, and found my voice barely a whisper. Where the heck am I?

He sighed, relief washing over his face. "Good. A doctor had to come stitch up your side, and injected you with painkillers. You have four broken ribs and have to wear a cast for at least two months. Gyunyu is fine," he hurried when I guess he saw me about to ask. "He's downstairs eating. You're in my house, down the street from yours. I apologize for the mess, but I have yet to unpack."

"No... no it's ok," I answered. I didn't feel awkward in his presence like I usually did. I didn't feel embarrassed, curious, concerned, anything. Whatever they put in those painkillers, I wasn't so sure they were all that "legal"...

He continued, staring into my eyes. "I need to teach you how to use chakra. I've signed you up to attend courses in the village with me. You'll meet some acquaintances of mine, and hopefully make some friends." I noticed how pale his face was. "But I can't let this happen again. You need to be able to take care of yourself if I'm not around, at least until I get back to you."

Then all of a sudden sadness swept me and chewed me to pieces. I felt tears coming to my eyes. What the heck is going on? Is it these painkillers? "Sasuke..." I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, swallowing down the feeling. "Thank you for being there. Gyunyu and I are greatly indebted to you."

I was half asleep. Numb and crawling with emotion at the same time. But as I drifted off, I heard Sasuke climb over me onto my unbroken side, laying beside me and hugging me close. I shifted closer to him before letting myself go.


End file.
